Lady Flames lacrosse senior battles with season ending early

For Liberty women’s lacrosse player Sarah Steenson, her senior season has come to an end after playing only six games before the ASUN canceled all remaining spring sports due to the coronavirus.

On March 10, Steenson became the third Flames player to win the ASUN Defensive Player of the Week this season and the second Lady Flame to win in a row.

But only three days later, the ASUN Presidents’ Council canceled all spring sports for the welfare of the athletes, coaches, trainers and fans involved. After hearing the announcement, Steenson’s teammates and coaches helped turn a heartbreaking moment into a memory of comradeship.

“Hearing something like that, that your season is over, especially as a senior, is kind of hard to take,” Steenson said. “But having my seven other sisters (other seniors on the team) and then the women who have made such an impact on life up until this point, having them around me and being there, it was just so amazing.”

Amid the coronavirus outbreak, many athletes continue to train by themselves off campus. Steenson continues to exercise and train while still practicing social distancing and complying with guidelines during this pandemic as she stays in Lynchburg with her family.

“We have been working with our coaches and strength and conditioning coaches to have different body weight circuits we can do as well as running,” Steenson said. “All things (exercises) we can do with the girls at our house to keep social distancing”.

During this emotional time, the team sees this time as an opportunity to focus on their team and advance their skill set. The Lady Flames continue to illustrate their determination by setting goals and working as if the season is ending in a couple months.

“I think (I’m) looking at this as just a chance to get better. Do I wish we could have finished this year as a unit? Of course. I wouldn’t trade it for the world,” Steenson said. “But I think this is a great opportunity to really get mentally and spiritually strong.”

Throughout this crisis, the “unknown” is something everyone is becoming more familiar with and questioning what will happen and how their future will be impacted, and Steenson is having to grapple with that unknown.

“I have an internship lined up for the summer if that is still a possibility. So many things are up in the air,” Steenson said. “This crisis is all over the world, so I think I’m just trying to take everything day by day.”